PW's Labor Day Weekend Picks

ART Paint NiteIf you’ve ever read A Moveable Feast or watched Midnight in Paris, there’s a good chance you get a bit doe-eyed when it comes to mixing art and alcohol. The two ventures just seem to go so perfectly together, like a finely-blended glass of Scotch. Well, for all you art lovers who feel that pang of jealousy over how cool Hemingway’s life seemed, Paint Nite is the event for you. Founded in Boston by two friends, Sean McGrail and Dan Hermann, it offers an alternative method for those looking to develop artistic skills; instead of offering instruction in the confines of a museum or a studio, Paint Nite is hosted in bars around the city, so aspiring artists can learn about shading and sketching while sipping on their favorite beers.

Admission gets you access to drinks, food and, most importantly, the full set of required artist’s tools, including a palette, canvas, brushes and smock. From there, an instructor will lay out the strategy to reproduce a specific painting, using imitation as a means of learning.

Just like its art-and-burlesque counterpart, Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School, the Paint Nite premise has expanded to cities across the country, with multiple bars hosting Paint Nites throughout the week. Instruction for tonight’s selected painting, Path In the Forest, will come via local artist Andrea Vann at the cheery, dimly-lit Jose Pistola’s. For those who revere Sam Adams as much as Paul Cezanne, or are simply curious as to why so many artists seem like they’re drunk all the time, this is a match made in heaven. / MAX UFBERG

ART Remnants of Everyday Life
See one of the largest and most varied collections of early American ephemera in this exhibition, featuring everything from throw-away items to finely printed works. Playbills, fliers, postcards, menus, World’s Fair souvenirs, trading cards, advertisements and scrapbooks are among the documents highlighted, focusing on the graphic design and evolution of commercial and personal “insignificant documents”. Through Dec. 13. The Library Company of Philadelphia, 1314 Locust St. 215.546.3181. librarycompany.org

STAGE This Is Not For You
Award-winning Swiss opera director Julie Beauvais and American director/performer Jon Foley Sherman explore the limits and possibilities of solitude. Their unique form of performance lecture debates what it means to share and withhold yourself from others, and whether it is possible to be ever truly alone. 6pm. $10. Crane Arts, 1400 N. American St. 215.232.3203. cranearts.com

Monday, September 2

DRINK Oktoberfest at McGillin’s Olde Ale House
The traditional Munich beer celebration comes early in Philly. Expect German cuisine and brews, alongside those crafted by local breweries in honor of the yearly festival. 11am. McGillin’s Olde Ale House, 1310 Drury St. 215.735.5562. mcgillins.com

MUSIC Juston Stens & The Get Real Gang
As a former drummer for Dr. Dog, Juston Stens has a keen sensibility of melodic pop and soul. Stens and the Gang’s forthcoming album was recorded last year on a 4-month long motorcycle journey across America. 9pm. $10. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave. johnnybrendas.com